European Convention for the Protection of Animals kept for Farming Purposes

Strasbourg, 10.III.1976

The Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community entered into force on 1 December 2009. As a consequence, as from that date, any reference to the European Economic Community shall be read as the European Union.

Considering that it is desirable to adopt common provisions for the protection of animals
kept for farming purposes, particularly in modern intensive stock-farming systems,
Have agreed as follows:

Chapter I  General principles

Article 1

This Convention shall apply to the keeping, care and housing of animals, and in
particular to animals in modern intensive stock-farming systems. For the purposes of this
Convention animals shall mean animals bred or kept for the production of food, wool, skin
or fur or for other farming purposes, and modern intensive stock-farming systems shall
mean systems which predominantly employ technical installations operated principally by
means of automatic processes.

Article 2

Each Contracting Party shall give effect to the principles of animal welfare laid down
in Articles 3 to 7 of this Convention.

Article 3

Animals shall be housed and provided with food, water and care in a manner which 
having regard to their species and to their degree of development, adaptation and
domestication  is appropriate to their physiological and ethological needs in
accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge.

Article 4

The freedom of movement appropriate to an animal, having regard to its species and in
accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge, shall not be restricted
in such a manner as to cause it unnecessary suffering or injury.

Where an animal is continuously or regularly tethered or confined, it shall be given the
space appropriate to its physiological and ethological needs in accordance with
established experience and scientific knowledge.

Article 5

The lighting, temperature, humidity, air circulation, ventilation, and other
environmental conditions such as gas concentration or noise intensity in the place in
which an animal is housed, shall  having regard to its species and to its degree of
development, adaptation and domestication  conform to its physiological and
ethological needs in accordance with established experience and scientific knowledge.

Article 6

No animal shall be provided with food or liquid in a manner, nor shall such food or
liquid contain any substance, which may cause unnecessary suffering or injury.

Article 7

The condition and state of health of animals shall be thoroughly inspected at intervals
sufficient to avoid unnecessary suffering and in the case of animals kept in modern
intensive stock-farming at least once a day.

The technical equipment used in modern intensive stock-farming systems shall be
thoroughly inspected at least once a day, and any defect discovered shall be remedied with
the least possible delay. When a defect cannot be remedied forthwith, all temporary
measures necessary to safeguard the welfare of the animals shall be taken immediately.

Chapter II  Detailed implementation

Article 8

A Standing Committee shall be set up within a year of the entry into force of this
Convention.

Each Contracting Party shall have the right to appoint a representative to the Standing
Committee. Any member State of the Council of Europe which is not a Contracting Party to
the Convention shall have the right to be represented on the Committee by an observer.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall convene the Standing Committee
whenever he finds it necessary and in any case when a majority of the representatives of
the Contracting Parties or the representative of the European Economic Community, being
itself a Contracting Party, request its convocation.

A majority of representatives of the Contracting Parties shall constitute a quorum for
holding a meeting of the Standing Committee.

The Standing Committee shall take its decision by a majority of the votes cast; however,
unanimity of the votes cast shall be required for:

the adoption of the recommendations provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 9;

the decision to admit observers other than those referred to in paragraph 2 of this
article;

the adoption of the report referred to in Article 13; this report could set out, where
appropriate, divergent opinions.

Subject to the provisions of this Convention, the Standing Committee shall draw up its
own rules of procedure.

Article 9

The Standing Committee shall be responsible for the elaboration and adoption of
recommendations to the Contracting Parties containing detailed provisions for the
implementation of the principles set out in Chapter I of this Convention, to be based on
scientific knowledge concerning the various species of animals.

For the purpose of carrying out its responsibilities under paragraph 1 of this article,
the Standing Committee shall follow developments in scientific research and new methods in
animal husbandry.

Unless a longer period is decided upon by the Standing Committee, a recommendation shall
become effective as such six months after the date of its adoption by the Committee. As
from the date when a recommendation becomes effective each Contracting Party shall either
implement it or inform the Standing Committee by notification to the Secretary General of
the Council of Europe of the reasons why it has decided that it cannot implement the
recommendation or can no longer implement it.

If two or more Contracting Parties or the European Economic Community, being itself a
Contracting Party, have given notice in accordance with paragraph 3 of this article of
their decision not to implement or no longer to implement a recommendation, that
recommendation shall cease to have effect.

Article 10

The Standing Committee shall use its best endeavours to facilitate a friendly
settlement of any difficulty which may arise between Contracting Parties concerning the
implementation of this Convention.

Article 11

The Standing Committee may express an advisory opinion on any question concerning the
protection of animals at the request of a Contracting Party.

Article 12

Each Contracting Party may appoint one or more bodies from which the Standing Committee
may request information and advice to assist it in its work. Contracting Parties shall
communicate to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe the names and addresses of
such bodies.

Article 13

The Standing Committee shall submit to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe, at the expiry of the third year after the entry into force of this Convention and
of each further period of three years, a report on its work and on the functioning of the
Convention, including if it deems it necessary proposals for amending the Convention.

Chapter III  Final provisions

Article 14

This Convention shall be open to signature by the member States of the Council of Europe
and by the European Economic Community. It shall be subject to ratification, acceptance or
approval. Instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval shall be deposited with the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

This Convention shall enter into force six months after the date of the deposit of the
fourth instrument of ratification, acceptance or approval by a member State of the Council
of Europe.

In respect of a signatory Party ratifying, accepting or approving after the date
referred to in paragraph 2 of this article, the Convention shall enter into force six
months after the date of the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or
approval.

Article 15

After the entry into force of this Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council
of Europe may, upon such terms and conditions as it deems appropriate, invite any
non-member State to accede thereto.

Such accession shall be effected by depositing with the Secretary General of the Council
of Europe an instrument of accession which shall take effect six months after the date of
its deposit.

Article 16

Any Contracting Party may, at the time of signature or when depositing its instrument of
ratification, acceptance, approval or accession, specify the territory or territories to
which this Convention shall apply.

Any Contracting Party may, when depositing its instrument of ratification, acceptance,
approval or accession or at any later date, by declaration addressed to the Secretary
General of the Council of Europe, extend this Convention to any other territory or
territories specified in the declaration and for whose international relations it is
responsible or on whose behalf it is authorised to give undertakings.

Any declaration made in pursuance of the preceding paragraph may, in respect of any
territory mentioned in such declaration, be withdrawn according to the procedure laid down
in Article 17 of this Convention.

Article 17

Any Contracting Party may, in so far as it is concerned, denounce this Convention by
means of a notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Such denunciation shall take effect six months after the date of receipt by the
Secretary General of such notification.

Article 18

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall notify the member States of the
Council and any Contracting Party not a member of the Council of:

any signature;

any deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession;

any date of entry into force of this Convention in accordance with Articles 14 and 15
thereof;

any recommendation of the kind referred to in paragraph 1 of Article 9 and the date on
which it takes effect;

any notification received in pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 3 of Article 9;

any communication received in pursuance of the provisions of Article 12;

any declaration received in pursuance of the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article
16;

any notification received in pursuance of the provisions of Article 17 and the date on
which denunciation takes effect.

In witness whereof, the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this
Convention.

Done at Strasbourg, this 10th day of March 1976, in English and in French, both texts
being equally authoritative, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives
of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall transmit
certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding Parties.